1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to orthopedic walkers or supports, and more particularly to a supporting walker for helping or aiding a human to walk, provide a rest support while standing in place.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the increases in life expectancy which have resulted from medical advances, a larger proportion of the world's population lives to an advanced age. As a result, there are now a larger proportion of aged and infirm people than there were previously.
Aged or infirm persons have needs which are different than those of the general population. In particular, aged and infirm persons may frequently require the assistance of a special device in order to walk up and down stairs with safety. This is especially true for homes and residences in the northeastern United States which are predominantly multiple level dwellings. Among such devices, which are known to the prior art are a number of multiple legged walking aid canes in which the base of the cane is broadened by the addition thereto of four legs which provide a firmer base for the cane to prevent the user from falling.
In previous walking aid canes, the leg members of the cane have generally projected upwardly and inwardly at an angle from a supporting surface with the leg members connected at their upper ends to an upwardly extending central support post. The legs of such canes formed what may be termed a pyramidal configuration. While such canes have been somewhat satisfactory, they have suffered from a number of drawbacks. With the cane legs forming a pyramidal configuration, the center of gravity of the cane is relatively lower so that the cane may not be as easily tipped over to permit falling of the user. The pyramidal configuration of the cane legs has interfered with the user's foot and leg movements with the user's foot in close proximity to the cane. The prior art structure has the base positioned inside between the user's feet near one or the other depending on whether the user is left or right handed. The potential of the pyramidal base is therefore not fully exploited.
To avoid interference of the cane with his foot movement, the user is forced to position the cane in front of his body. This is generally unsatisfactory since the supporting force provided by the cane is then directed upwardly and slanted towards one of the user's arms and its adjacent shoulder. Rather, the supporting force provided by the simple pyramidally based cane will be angled upwardly in a direction toward the user's body such that the force applied by the user to the cane will have a side force component directed away from the user's body. The side force component will have a tendency to tip the cane and to permit the user to fall when combined with the fact that the singular cane is located near one foot and in front and toward the center of the user's body.
Some of the individuals with physical ailments have to some degree benefited by the use of invalid walkers now available to them. The U-shaped walkers are generally quite conspicuous in restaurants, malls, rest homes and other public establishments. Thus these walkers have opened up a world to many individuals who would otherwise be homebound. Their mobility has greatly increased and along with this the pleasures of everyday living.
The U-shaped walkers have been available for many years. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,517,677 and 3,945,389 show the typical U-shaped walkers. U.S. Pat. No. 3,517,677 shows a design which permits relative rotation of the two side frames to permit usage of the walker on uneven surfaces. U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,389 shows a U-shaped walker with a transverse member and braces which permit the user to conveniently fold the walker when not in use.
Moreover, in order to provide some handicapped individuals with stair climbing ability, walker aids have been incorporated into canes and crutches to facilitate this type of physical movement. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,387,618 discloses improvements to crutches and cane which permits the user to ascend and descend stairways. U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,331 shows a walking frame of novel design which presumably can be used on level surfaces as well as stairways. Thus, it has been the meritorious objective of inventors in this field to provide handicapped individuals with equipment which to a large extent avoids a life in wheelchairs, rest homes or hospital beds. This has been accomplished to some degree by the use of U-shaped walkers. Now the present invention provides the user with a walker which provides a novel combination of features and efficient elimination of unnecessary elements and which is highly functional.